1. Making Writing More Interesting by Adding Transitional Phrases
Copyright © 2015 by Write Score LLC

2. Remember Transition Words?
Transition words, or signal words, are words that help to organize a story, help a story make sense, and help the reader of the story keep track of the sequence of events and changes in setting within a story.
First
Next
Then
Finally

3. Transitional Phrases CAN BE More Interesting!
Many authors use phrases in place of simple transition words like next, then, after that, finally, because the phrases help to make their writing
more interesting.
Transitional Phrases are More Interesting!

4. Todays Task
Examine how an author uses transitional phrases in place of simple transition words to make the writing more interesting to read.
Edit sample pieces that lack interesting transitional phrases.
Try adding transitional phrases in your own writing.

5. Today’s Task How does Judith Viorst use transitional phrases ?
Simple Transition Words
Judith Uses …
At breakfast…
In the carpool…
At school…
At singing time…
After school…
On the way downstairs…
Then we went…
When we picked up my dad…
When I went to bed…
first
next
then
after that
last
finally

6. Let’s Try
 Granddaddy
It was a normal Monday afternoon. The sun was shining through the cracks in the window blinds as Mrs. Leeming began our lesson in math. She stood at the front of the room, demonstrating how to compare fractions using small fraction tiles. Mrs. Leeming slid the tiles beneath the document camera so that the class could see them illuminated on the big screen at the front of the room. “Today we are going to compare fractions using fraction tiles…” she began. Every student was watching, listening, and trying to learn. Mrs. Leeming explained, and demonstrated, and explained again.
Next, Mrs. Leeming passed out a set of tiles to each student. “Your task is to compare the fraction tiles and compare their size from least to greatest,” she said. Then, the students quickly got to work. Every head was bent over the tiles, busily shifting them from side to side, comparing their size. The only sound you could hear was the soft click, click, click of the tiles and scratching of pencils. After that, Mrs. Leeming moved through the room, offering help and asking questions.
As soon as the lesson was over,
After dumping the tiles on their desks,
While the students worked busily,

7. Continued Just as we were finishing our task,
Then, we all heard a soft plink from the front of the room. Mrs. Leeming went to investigate what had made the sound. First, she saw that a fraction tile had fallen from the document camera and was laying on the floor. After that, she bent down to pick it up. Suddenly she stood up, and screamed! We all jumped in surprise and looked towards the front of the room. Mrs. Leeming was frozen. She was staring at the image on the front screen. Instead of fraction tiles there was a huge granddaddy lizard staring back at her. He just sat there, staring at her; staring at all of us. That granddaddy lizard was sitting in the middle of her fraction tiles and Mrs. Leeming, who is deathly afraid of lizards, couldn’t move a muscle.
Just as we were finishing our task,
When she walked up to the front of the room,
Mrs. Lemming looked around for more fallen tiles before

8. Continued
When we heard the scream,
Then, the class made a gasping sound and kids began to talk excitedly. Mrs. Leeming began to shiver and shake. The giant granddaddy lizard shining on the front board was too much for her. This was worse than a normal sized lizard. This lizard’s image was blown up to the size of a small dog! Mrs. Leeming pointed at the screen and mumbled, “Get…get… get…” Next, James jumped to his feet. He darted to the front of the classroom and with lightning speed, slapped his hand over the big lizard. James scooped the granddaddy lizard up into the palms of his hands and quickly headed for the back door.
As soon as she began to mumble,

9. Continued
James opened the back door and released the granddaddy lizard into the natural world where he belonged. Next, he closed the door and turned back into the room. With a final shudder, Mrs. Leeming was able to move. She sighed a big sigh, and said, “Thank you, James. Now, class, back to fractions.” And once again, it was a normal Monday afternoon.
After the lizard scampered into the grass,

10. Let’s Try Together The Best Day
When I woke up this morning, I thought it was going to be the best day of my entire life. Today, for the first time, my mom said I could ride my bike to school. Normally my mom would drive me in the car, but now that I was in third grade and knew how to ride a bike really well, it was finally my turn to join my friends in the neighborhood and ride to school.
First, I got up and made my bed. Then, I quickly got dressed. I chose my new pink shorts and striped pink top to wear, because it was bright and joyful and looked the way I felt. I wore my neon pink tennis shoes, too.
After that, I went to the kitchen and ate breakfast. My mom made me scrambled eggs and toast. She didn’t say anything, but I knew that the hearty breakfast was to fuel my ride to school. First, I nibbled on the toast and gobbled down the eggs. After I ate all my food, I drank all of my juice. Finally, I put my dishes in the sink.

11. Let’s Try Together
Then, I went down the hall to the bathroom where I brushed my teeth and then my hair. I put my hair into two long braids down my back so that they would fit easily under my helmet. After all, I would be riding my bike to school today. Finally, I grabbed my backpack and ran to the front door.
As I was strapping on my helmet, I heard a booming sound. I froze. What was that? I hurried to the window in the living room and looked out. The sky was black and filled with storm clouds. Rain was pouring down. “Oh no,” I cried. Rain? Rain on the day I was to ride my bike? “Let’s go,” called my mom, jingling her car keys. I sighed. The best day of my entire life would have to wait one more day.

12. Independent Practice
Choose a narrative story from your writer’s notebook.
Add transitional phrases in place of simple transition words where the time or place changes within your story.